The Problem of Petunia
by Mollyscribbles
Summary: Petunia Dursley is perfectly normal, thank you very much, and rejects all that the wizarding world is. But who rejected who first? Partially set after HBP, so there will be some spoilers.
1. You live and learn

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit, amateur effort not intended to infringe on the rights of JKR or any other copyright holder.

* * *

Mr and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. The neighbours were in general agreement that they were the last people you would expect to see involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense. 

Today, Mrs. Dursley was in a rather skittish mood. She told her neighbours it was simply because her little hellion of a nephew was due to return from St. Brutus', and in part this was true. Petunia had been growing increasingly worried for her nephew's safety in recent years, especially following the – she took a moment trying to recall – ah, yes, the 'Holler' from her sister's former headmaster. Not that she could mention this to Vernon, mind you.

The situation had never been explained to her satisfaction, no doubt details considered irrelevant when providing an explanation for the silly 'Muggle'. But the correspondence she had with the man years before had made one thing quite clear; She was Harry's last blood relative, and if she did not provide the boy a place under her roof to call home, the boy would meet the fate of his poor mother before him, without even a chance at a proper life.

She had given the matter a great deal of thought, and her decision was made long before the basket was ever left on her doorstep. She and Lily had been sisters, after all. And family is family.

* * *

Memories came to her uninvited, of a much different time. Their early childhood was spent quite happily; despite the age gap, Petunia never minded when her younger sister tagged along. Trips to the park, days spent kite flying and making up games of their own. Petunia always said that the kite would always like it more when they worked together. Looking back, the interesting loops and the way it would always miss the trees when it landed were more than likely another sign of her sister's magic, even back then. Certainly they didn't always get along perfectly, there would be the occasional quarrel, but they were sisters. 

Then the letter came that fateful day, the silly brown owl swooped in and ruined everything. Petunia thought it must be some sort of odd joke, after it interrupted their pleasant family breakfast with the special french toast she had made for her sister's birthday, but Lily squealed in glee and their parents gushed over the honour in the weeks that followed. They left Petunia at home when they went for supplies, returning loaded down with fascinating books, odd herbs, a cauldron, and that wand. Lily had a particular fondness for the wand, not wishing to put it away except when their mother insisted before going out. It wasn't until Petunia watched her sister pack her bags to go off to the strange school, when the matter had really sunken in, that she wondered why no letter had arrived for her. Lily, wonderful and caring Lily, had promised to ask everyone and with any luck the oversight would be cleared away, and the sisters would again be together and studying the amazing things described in her new books.

They went to the train station as a family to see her off. Lily was nervous about going off to such a strange place and timidly approached a boy who was there with an owl in a cage, apparently a fellow student. After chatting a minute, she was calmer and came back to say goodbye. Each of them hugged her tightly and wished her well. Petunia's vision was so blurred with tears that she wasn't certain if there had been a door or if her sister had simply vanished through a wall. But she stood there, watching the spot, until her father had finally tugged her back. The drive home was long and silent.

Letters came quickly by owl, one for her parents and one for her. Written on sheets of parchment in a scratchy style, they spoke of an amazing school filled with fascinating subjects, wondrous creatures, and classmates who spoke of a whole world kept hidden from the ordinary people of England. Details were sketchy, of course – they had those laws, certainly, and couldn't very well tell just anyone all that went on. Lily assured her sister that she had begun asking teachers and classmates, but wouldn't give her a real answer as to why Petunia couldn't come.

As time passed, the letters decreased in frequency. Petunia had her own studies and wasn't overly concerned, but every now and then her thoughts turned to her sister. Christmas vacation came, and they met Lily at the train station. She was eager to see her sister again, catch up and cram in as much fun together as they could before their schools forced them apart again. Lily grinned upon seeing Petunia and ran to her. Petunia hugged her sister tightly, part of her never wishing to let go again.

"I've missed you so much! How has everything been with you? Your letters could be a mile long, and they still wouldn't tell me everything."

"Oh, I'll tell you all about it – but first, here." Lily pulled something from her pocket and held her hand out. Petunia wondered what odd gift her sister might have for her and reached to accept it.

Being in a public place, she did her best to keep the shriek of disgust down as she flung something slimy and wriggly in the direction of the nearest bin.

Lily was laughing hard, but managed to gasp, "Frogspawn!" before they were both pulled to the car by their parents.

The holidays had always been a favourite time of year for the sisters, and this year things had started off with even more excitement than usual. The Evans were overjoyed to have their youngest daughter back, and of course they had gone all out to make this holiday special. But it all paled when compared to the stories Lily told them; caroling would bring about excited babbling on the enchanted candles the school choir used, a trip to the skating rink would include whispered comments on the now-frozen lake at Hogwarts with a squid in it, and even when Petunia assisted her mother in the kitchen for all of Christmas Eve to prepare a magnificent Christmas dinner, Lily still spoke in fonder terms of the magical feasts that would appear on plates in the great hall.

Their parents would hang on every word that Lily spoke, leaving Petunia feeling rather left out of things. And when Christmas morning came, a quiet check revealed that Lily had gotten a good dozen more presents than her. Certainly, some had been from friends who had their owls deliver them that morning, but it was the principle of the thing.

The days passed all too quickly, and Petunia was feeling more and more frustrated at the change in her sister. But still she made an effort, and one afternoon she caught Lily on her own, seeing off a strange owl. Probably another of her friends who couldn't bear to let their new companion just have some time with their family and their family alone. Setting the thought aside, Petunia smiled and passed Lily a gingerbread person she had made. A smear of red frosting for hair, a cute iced face, and dark blue icing robe offered a close enough resemblance that her sister could see what was intended. Petunia was rather proud of her work, all things considered, but Lily frowned.

"My school robes are black. Or if you go by house colors, red and gold would be better. Only Ravenclaws wear blue uniforms."

Petunia blinked, unsure how to respond. They didn't have any black frosting colour. Best to change to a more positive topic. "So have you found anything out on why I never received a letter? If things have been cleared up, I'll need to hurry to have everything sorted out before term starts."

After giving a glare to a crumpled bit of parchment clenched in her hand, Lily spun around and looked at her sister with uncharacteristic venom, then spat, "You never received a letter because you're a stupid little muggle. You haven't a drop of magic in you, you never will, and you'll never be able to do what I can."

Petunia's face fell, her last shred of hope dashed. Glaring at her sister, she cried, "Better a muggle than a freak like you!" Turning away before the tears started, Petunia fled to her room and slammed the door behind her. Hours later, her parents were trying to talk her out and Lily was still trying to attempt an apology, but she wouldn't hear of it. It wasn't until the next day that Petunia emerged from her room. She slipped to the kitchen to grab a quick bite to eat before fetching a box from under the stairs along with some furniture polish and some cleaning rags, then returned to her room. She was done before noon, and her room had been cleaned nearly to the point of sterility. All her old storybooks had been cleared away, and they had been packed neatly in the box along with all her old dress-up costumes. Magic was real, but it was limited to a special world – one she had been rejected from. Once you know that for certain, what point is there in make-believe?

The chiming of the hall clock snapped Petunia out of her memories, and she grimly noted the hour. She'd need to talk Dudleykins into turning off the telly now to have him ready in time, and Vernon would want an extra half-hour to grumble about having to put up with her nephew for another summer, before they needed to make a show of tolerating him at the station. They'd all be there to greet him, of course. After all, they were family. She gave a last glance around the kitchen. Spotless as always. Perfectly normal, again as always.

Dropping the folded dishcloth in the hamper on her way to Dudley's room, Petunia quietly hoped that, at the very least, the neighbours believed this. It was getting harder and harder to even convince herself.

* * *

Author's note: The strength of Lily's outburst was due to the letter she had just received. It was the oddly cruel sort of thing that eleven-year-olds are capable of, from a pureblood who was rather annoyed at the mudblood who stole the honor of having top marks in Charms from them. 


	2. At any rate, you live

Vernon pulled out of the driveway sharply, and their happy, normal family went off to the train station to collect an ungrateful nephew. Petunia turned to check that Dudley was settled in for the trip. His handheld game and bag of carrot sticks to snack on were enough to occupy him most days, and only a quiet whimper every now and then betrayed his fear of the coming encounter. Understandable, certainly – nearly every encounter the poor boy had with a wizard left him the worse for wear. She settled in for the ride, making a silent wish that Harry would simply come along without incident. The lot of them were no better than bullies. 

At least Lily hadn't been too awful in that way. There had only been a handful of incidents Petunia could recall where her sister made a direct show of power.

* * *

That first awful Christmas break had ended quietly, a less than entirely voluntary truce enforced by their parents leaving the sisters without a harsh word to say at the departure. Easter vacation came and went without a visit – Lily protested that anyone who expected to do well on final exams would be staying through to study. When summer came, Lily returned her silent tolerance with an apologetic hug and a package. Petunia was still feeling stung, but accepted with it a tentative smile and waited until she was in her room to open it. A few packages of chocolate looked promising, but it was silly wizarding candy. The stupid thing hopped away when she opened the first, and she didn't find it until the following fall when she investigated a burnt chocolate smell under her heater. The rest of the candy was tossed back, and Petunia turned to the last item. A book, simple enough. It was a rather nice one at that, hardcover with an intriguing title -- "An Introduction to the Magical World". Well. It might help her understand things a bit better. . .

The book wouldn't open. It held fast, no matter how she tugged on it. She felt the resistance, knew it was more than just a bit of gum under the cover or the aftermath of a careless soda spill. The book wouldn't let her open it.

Petunia glared at it and pulled a shoebox from her closet. She always kept them whenever she got a new pair of shoes at the start of the school year, you never knew when you might need one to help keep things organized. This one was nice and sturdy, and entirely unremarkable. The handful of letters Lily had sent over the past year were kept there. The book and chocolate packets joined them. Petunia gave it a mild glare and returned the box to the closet. None of it was of any use to her, but. It was all she'd have left of her sister. She made certain the box was secure in its spot.

It was a quiet summer, Lily having become more subdued in her comments on the magical world than before. And one sunny day, perhaps a week before classes were to resume for them both, Petunia was in a rather positive mood; their old kite had caught her eye, and the wind was just right – perhaps, just perhaps, she and Lily might head out, just like old times. She pulled it down from its spot by the ceiling, climbed off her chair, and paused by the window to breathe in the fresh air. Yes, today had potential. An owl flew past, away from the house, and Lily's voice rang out, calling for her parents. Petunia snuck down the hall to listen at the door; one of Lily's new friends had just written to invite her to some sort of party, and she was welcome to stay until the start of term. It would save the family two trips to London, and where was the real harm?

Petunia sighed and returned to her room, closing the door just as her father headed past to retrieve Lily's school trunk from the storage closet. The kite returned to its prior spot, and she cleaned her room with more vigor than usual. They said their goodbyes through the door, and Lily was gone again.

The next few years passed in much the same way, Lily returning every now and then. Some holidays were spent at school, some with friends, and a few at home. Summers tended to be cut short, but things remained civil enough. Lily would always send presents for Christmas and birthdays, always something nice, but small enough that her owl had little trouble with it. Usually something magical, sometimes normal to all appearances. Petunia would read the books she could, admire the trinkets, and soon place them with the rest in the old shoebox.

One day, when sitting in her Modern Literature class, Petunia felt a sudden pang of loss for her sister. It was approaching her second term of Uni, and it struck her that she couldn't recall the last real conversation she had with her sister. Determined now, a plan formed in her mind. Only a few minutes were needed to locate a book in the college library on owls and what they ate. It was written by someone who didn't know a thing about magic, but Petunia figured it might be of some use.

After getting over the initial disgust at what she found, she made a trip to the pet store. Since she couldn't use whatever magical way their kind contacted the owls with, this would have to do. She wrote a letter, scratching out bits and crumpling up the first few drafts before finally getting out something she was satisfied with. She carefully wrote out her sister's name on the envelope, hoping it would be enough of an address. Crossing her fingers, she prepared. The mouse was set on her windowsill, tied with a string to keep it from running off. An old blanket was folded on her lap; she knew even her parents had difficulty with getting the delivery owls to take their letters. The envelope and a length of twine waited on her desk, and she practiced her knots as she waited. It wasn't until some time past dusk that one finally came by, and Petunia quickly wrapped the blanket about it.

The owl was somewhat messier than the ones that had delivered Lily's letters, and it took a thwap from a rolled-up newspaper to keep it from nipping at her fingers.

"Hey there, watch yourself. This is an important letter, so you'd best make sure it gets to Lily safely."

She glared at it and tied the envelope to its leg with a length of twine. It gave an annoyed hoot, then flew off once she let it go.

As she watched the pale form vanish into the darkness, Petunia felt as if a weight had been lifted from her. For the first time in years, she had hope that she might have her sister back as she knew her.

No reply came, but Lily was home for the summer less than a month later. Petunia managed the courage to broach the subject on the drive home from the station.

"How have you been, Lily? And did you get the letter that I sent?"

Lily smiled, but looked slightly confused. "Classes have been going well enough, but there are problems in the wizarding world. . . I never received a letter. What did it say?"

Words that came easily enough from her pen caught uncomfortably in her throat, and Petunia simply swallowed the apology and said, "Nothing too special. Just wishing you well and hoping your tests went all right."

Lily's smile was more genuine now. "I appreciate the thought, even though it never made it in time. I think I did well enough on my OWLs, but I'm worried this toerag named Potter ruined my concentration for one . . . he's a pureblood, and goes around oozing self-confidence and attacking other students simply because he doesn't like them. He's just an egotistical show-off, and pretends he's better than the arrogant ones who aren't any better than he is."

Petunia gave a glare in agreement. "I can't believe the audacity of some people. He sounds as bad as some of the fools I've known at University – not an ounce of ambition in the lot of them, wasting their parents' money, and convinced that the fate of the world rests on the school sports teams they're on, and even when they ask a girl out, they'll admit they've no interest in a relationship longer than a week or so."

Lily gave her a soft smile. "I'm sure you'll find someone who's right for you, Petunia. And I heard your courses are going well – you can certainly find work and make your own way in the world until you do."

Petunia smiled. The letter wasn't needed after all – they'd just been silly children back then, but now they were mature and almost adults . . . she just might get back the sister she knew.

The next few weeks went quite well, and Lily managed to keep the discussion from going too far into the magical world. Petunia and Lily felt like sisters again for the first time since that owl arrived. They shared stories of boys they found to be especially annoying. Petunia showed Lily how to give herself a manicure the 'muggle' way. Lily gave Petunia some advice on what colours worked best for her – Petunia tried, but coordination such as that had never been her strong point – and they had a rather fierce debate over which of the neighbour boys were cuter. It ended in giggles as they agreed they were all annoying enough to make it irrelevant.

As it is with far too many good things, this too came to an end. At the end of July, Petunia answered the door to find one of Lily's school friends waiting. The girl was dressed in an odd outfit, a striped red and yellow skirt with a black polka-dotted jumper. Petunia wondered if she had gotten dressed in a thrift shop during a blackout and was about to say as much when Lily stepped in.

"Petunia, could you give us some time alone? This – it's important. I'm not certain how much I can say."

Petunia looked between the two, taking in the serious expressions on their faces. She was hardly the most perceptive of people, but even she could tell this was a matter of dire importance. Giving a silent nod, she quickly left them in the sitting room and shut the door. Then she retrieved a glass from the kitchen and set about listening in as unobtrusively as she could. What little she did make out didn't bode well at all – talk of a dark lord, a rising death count, and a dire threat. She retreated to her room, feeling less envy of her sister's magic than she ever had before.

Hours later, Lily sought out her sister and entered with a knock. She carried in a tea tray with two cups and a fresh pot steeping. She seemed prepared for a long conversation. "Sorry about that. It's not the best time for magical types. We've got a bit of a war going on. I'm really not supposed to talk about it, but – you should know."

Petunia clutched her cup tightly, eyes wide. "Are you in danger? Are we all? Do they have bombs of their own?"

Lily gave a slight smile. "We don't have weapons like that. But there are some rather nasty spells out there, ones I'd rather avoid. There are too many muggles in the world for there to be much risk of you or the family being singled out, but those of us who, well, didn't grow up as magically . . . there is a danger, yes. Voldemort – that's the evil wizard who's behind all of this – he and his followers have some idiotic idea that muggleborns and even half-muggleborns aren't as good as the rest of their lot, not as powerful. So those of us who want to fight for the safety of everyone need to prove him wrong, we're taking a stand." Green eyes focused on the half-full teacup, the muggle teabag keeping the leaves in the pot, unreadable. She drained the cup and continued. "They've recruited me. I'm powerful – they can't argue it, even the ones who were training since before I even found out what I was. I need to help them."

Petunia gaped, frozen in shock. She might not keep up with current events as much as some, but even she knew that a solider was more at risk than a simple civilian. "You can't be serious! You'll be killed for certain! Can't someone else take the lot out?"

Lily gave a sad smile and set her teacup down. "This is something I need to do. They need me. If not me, then who?"

Petunia's look of bitter despair was all the answer she could give. Lily sighed.

"I won't be joining up for a while, mind. I still have a lot to learn, and I'm still shaky on some subjects." With a half smile, she pulled out her wand and flicked it at her teacup. It turned into a rat, sort of. Its fur was white with the same floral pattern as the cup had, and the tail was still curved in memory of the handle it had been. But it was blinking in confusion, and whiskers twitched. With another flick, it returned to its prior state. Petunia was curled up as tight as she could, pressed against the wall, whimpering. Lily sighed, put her wand back and gave her sister a hug. The pair clung together for hours, neither wanting to let go.

* * *

A long honk of the horn pulled Petunia from her memories again, and she looked up in time to see an angry driver giving Vernon the one-fingered salute as he pulled past them. They had finally arrived at the station. He made a sharp turn into the parking lot, finally jolting Dudley from his game. Her poor Diddy shouldn't have to go through with this, but a good impression was vital. With any luck, they wouldn't be threatened for doing nothing more than meet him at the station this time. Petunia checked her hair in the car's mirror before they went in; they might be muggles, but she still had her pride. 


	3. Death and Life

Once they arrived at the usual platform, Vernon declared that he was feeling quite parched after the drive and headed for the refreshment stand. Petunia couldn't bring herself to blame him, after the rather nasty confrontation of the previous summer. Hearing her son whimper, she took a step in front of Dudley to make him feel more secure, even though he had a good three inches on her this year. The wizards likely had charms of some sort in place to keep 'muggles' from noticing their arrival, Petunia was certain. But experience told her what to look for, giving her a general idea of when Harry's train arrived. Students pulling trunks along, in pairs or trios, and carting the occasional owl cage began walking casually past after only a few minutes of waiting. Petunia noted grimly that they were, to a one, more subdued than she had ever seen their lot. No friendly goodbyes, no joking, none of the usual cheer that accompanies the end of the school year, for muggles or magic-users alike. Harry finally emerged, accompanied by a redheaded boy – one of the Weasleys, but not the one who slipped Dudley that horrible candy – and a girl with messy brown hair she recognized from other departures.

Instead of separating after a final word as they had in prior years, the trio came directly over. Harry gave a look to the other two and stepped forward. His face was blank and unreadable, the same as that of his aunt.

"These are my friends Ron and Hermione. They'll be staying with me for as long as I'm stuck here this last time."

Petunia could feel Dudley cringing back behind her, but she looked over the pair and gave Harry a nod. "Very well. I expect all three of you to stay on your best behavior, and keep your horrible snacks to yourselves." The image of Dudley's tongue swelled so horribly, protruding from his mouth like some horrible pink eel would likely never leave her.

Ron snickered at this, but to Petunia's relief a glare was enough to silence him. Harry rolled his eyes. "We'll keep out of your way and be off as soon as we can. I don't want to be there any more than you want me there, Aunt Petunia."

Satisfied for now at this response, Petunia gave him a nod and lead all four to the snack counter where Vernon was holding his coffee with a shaking hand. "Vernon." He jumped, coffee splashing everywhere, until he turned and noticed it was just his wife. Petunia pulled a few napkins from her purse and passed them over. With a resigned sigh, she spoke. "We've acquired some extra house guests for the next few weeks. They've agreed to behave, and they'll all be on their way soon enough."

Vernon was frowning as he wiped the last drops of coffee from his bristling moustache, but there honestly wasn't any point in arguing the matter. He just gave a grunt and turned for the exit. Petunia paused to ensure everyone had their trunks, and they all headed for the car.

"Hah! Your lot have no sense of planning. The car will only seat five, and I'll be damned if you think any of my family will be left without a seat. The boot hasn't even the room for more than Harry's trunk." Vernon crossed his arms smugly and stood by the open car trunk. This wasn't entirely true; despite Dudley's efforts to diet, it was closer to four and a half on a good day.

Hermione raised an eyebrow and, after a glance around to ensure no one else was watching, pulled out her wand. Without saying a word, the boot expanded within while it remained normal on the outside in every respect.

Harry grinned and opened the back door of the car for her. "As you're the expert and legally clear, Hermione . . ."

She smirked, and with another flick of her wand the backseat of the car was now designed to comfortably seat all of them – with a seat wide enough for Dudley that he wouldn't need to stretch his seatbelt to latch on the next catch over. "Some of us do plan, and we had no intention of requiring you to make a second trip for the rest of us."

Petunia flinched back from the show of magic and gave the trio a firm glance. "Fine. But you'll be best advised to keep shows like that to an absolute minimum. Even if you are following the rules of your kind." Harry nodded and picked up his trunk, moving toward the boot.

Dudley twitched a bit, then moved over to help. He paused an inch away from the trunk, not actually touching it, still not sure what anything magical might do if he did. Hesitantly, he spoke, "I-I can help you with that, if you don't mind."

Harry blinked in mild confusion, then stepped back. "All right. It won't bite." Dudley relaxed visibly, and it belatedly occurred to Harry that that could be an entirely reasonable fear.

His boxing triumphs had mounted over the past few years, and while he still had the approximate bulk of a young killer whale, the fat was slowly but steadily being replaced with muscle. It took no effort to move the trunk into place, and the other two soon thudded in next to it. Petunia smiled quietly at the children. No, not children. Adults, or close enough to. You can forget these things, when you still have memories of changing their nappies. They all buckled in, Vernon still silent and red-faced, and Petunia sighed. She'd tried to build up defenses against it, but history was showing every intention of trying to repeat itself.

* * *

Petunia had returned to campus that fall hoping desperately for a distraction, anything to take her mind off of the horrible fate that her sister would inevitably face. Her studies served her well enough for the first few months, and then . . . Vernon. He was unlike any boy she had ever met at school. He wasn't on any sports teams, though he certainly had his share of school spirit and supported them. He boasted of a job that was all lined up for him once he finished his degree. Ambition was there in spades, certainly – he was determined to be in management within his first few years. More than anything, he was perfectly, utterly normal. At a time when you put your life on the line to date magical folk, normalcy had a new appeal. It made her feel safe when he spoke strongly of wanting nothing to do with unusual folk. She never felt the head-over-heels infatuation she read about in her romance novels, but her peers didn't tend to have even that much reason to hook up with their boyfriends. 

Between keeping up with assignments and her new relationship, Petunia managed to keep satisfactorily distracted. Neither sister returned home for vacation that Christmas or Easter – Petunia was now understanding that Lily had good reason to want to stay in and study, if Hogwarts had a course load anything like she did. They exchanged letters every so often, and Petunia was relieved that the ones she sent back with Lily's new owl had a better rate of success in making it through. Neither had the time needed to write long letters and go into any degree of detail on their lives, so they were eager to speak again when summer break arrived.

They stayed up late their first night together, sharing jokes and complaints about their workload. It's not easy to cover everything that's happened over the course of nearly a year within a few short days, and so the arrival of Lily's four guests came as a huge surprise to Petunia. Especially when she introduced the dark-haired boy in glasses as her boyfriend, James Potter.

Petunia kept a civil tongue and remained polite until a chance arose for her to pull her sister to the side for a quiet chat. "Are you mad?" she hissed. "You spent most of last summer telling me what an utter prat Potter is."

Lily giggled at this. "You've got it all wrong. He can certainly be infuriating at times, but he has a nicer side. . . if you only give him a chance, you'll see."

Petunia stared. She might not know that much about magic, but it was clear the horrible boy had put some sort of spell on her. It was clear her poor sister wasn't in her right mind.

"Snap out of it, Lily! What did the bastard do to you to make you act like this?"

Quite confused now, Lily frowned. "I know I wasn't easy on him last year, but he's honestly not all that bad. He didn't do a thing to me, if you must know. But we are working together on the defensive tactics – and Dumbledore let us know early that we've made Head Girl and Head Boy together, not to mention the group he says will be forming around the time we graduate, an elite team to take out Voldemort once and for all."

Petunia's face fell. An utter prat had not only brainwashed her sister into liking him, but was encouraging her suicidal decision to fight. How do you convince someone under a spell that they're under a spell? How do you break it and get back the sister you knew? The answers weren't available to her, but the odds of one like her, with no magic to speak of being able to do anything were so slim. She was losing her sister, would lose her one way or another. What choice was there to keep anything of the sister she knew? A forced smile, and Petunia gave Lily a tight hug.

"Well. If you're certain. Can't we talk about something else for now? It's not as if your friends will be staying the entire summer."

Lily avoided eye contact as she spoke. "No, they won't. And neither will I. The group I mentioned – we need to start training soon, start to prepare. We'll need every trick we've got if we want to stand a chance against the Death Eaters."

Hearing the name caused Petunia's face to crumple. Honestly, any enemy who called their followers something like that . . . ick.

The Evans family gave a tearful goodbye at Lily's departure the next day, and they all made promises to keep in touch. After, Petunia sat in Lily's old room, barely touched over the years. It still felt like their childhood, felt like times before the magic came into their lives and ruined everything.

Few options really seemed inviting to Petunia at that time, so the rest of the summer was spent quietly with her parents. Working through her summer reading list was made more tolerable by curling up on Lily's comforter, pretending it was just like the rainy afternoons they spent curled up together there, just reading. When late August came, her departure on the train to school was nearly as tearful as Lily's had been months before. But as always, they left her with a comment on how they hoped she'd manage something with her life like the amazing deeds her sister was, so selfless and brilliant.

Only a month into term, the horrible news came. Both sisters rushed home to organize the funeral. A car crash, the police had said. They died instantly, certainly hadn't felt a thing by the time the fire started. Petunia said nothing in front of them, just wept quietly. Silence, until she had a moment alone with her sister, a sliver of time before they needed to head for the funeral home to make arrangements.

"Why didn't you do anything?" The words were quiet and not entirely accusing.

Lily blinked back tears, staring at her sister. "What do you mean? I wasn't there, I couldn't have done anything."

"But it was those bloody Death Eaters you've gone on about – you're making yourself a threat to them, of course they're going to target your helpless family. There's spells and things, you can do anything, it'd be simple enough for them to fake a crash that the silly muggle police wouldn't question --"

Petunia was cut off as Lily grabbed her suddenly. Tears were streaming down her face. "What are you talking about? This is horrible, yes, but magic had nothing to do with it. Death Eaters would never bother being so subtle."

Petunia sat silently, not really believing it. More may have been said, but Mrs. Jones from next door chose that moment to enter. As neither had their driver's license, they weren't about to turn down an offer of a ride and the matter was dropped for the sake of civility.

The funeral was a somber event, family and friends offering their condolences to the sisters. Even James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were there. Petunia was still firmly convinced James had her sister under a spell, but grudgingly accepted that he was at least making a proper show of caring.

They parted ways with more shared resentment than they had in years, and Petunia did her best to forget about her sister entirely. She was in her final year of uni, and her studies were more than enough to help with this. Vernon helped keep her distracted on the few free nights she had, and his mother was kind enough to invite her to stay for the Christmas holidays. Prior years had been spent away from home with ease enough, but now . . .

Just the thought of her old home, filled with childhood memories remaining cold and empty this holiday was enough to convince her. After the past year, what she really needed was to arrive at a home that was already prepared for the holiday, anywhere she might be welcome.

She sent a cordial letter to Lily, wishing her well and explaining her plans. Lily responded with a nice card and a comment that it was for the best, since she had already confirmed she would be remaining at Hogwarts again with James and his friends. Petunia filed the card with the others and went off to the Dursleys' homestead with a determined cheerfulness.

The visit went well enough, and Mrs. Dursley seemed to take a shine to her. Vernon's sister, Marge, wasn't as easy to get along with. The girls got on well enough, but Marge was too loud and far too mad about dogs for Petunia's taste. She left with a smile and a wave, and certainly she'd be happy to return sometime.

Vacation over, she dove back into her schoolwork. She may not be able to excel at magic, but she was determined to do the best she could in the classes she had. Once finals season arrived, she barely left the library. It was no time to slack off, no matter how many parties she was invited to, on campus or off. That extra push did pay off for her – when the marks were announced, she had passed with honours, and twelfth of the girls in her year.

Finally allowing herself a break, she took up the next party invitation that was offered. It was a bit of a let-down to realize she had more than likely gained her rank due to a frustrating percentage of the girls having partied through cram week, not caring how well they did. Most boasted a success of their own, having convinced their boyfriends to propose. Petunia simply rolled her eyes at them; there was more to university than just landing a husband. Things weren't that serious between Vernon and herself, she intended to use her diploma a bit before settling down.

Preparing for graduation, she splurged on getting her hair and makeup done at a nearby salon. She knew she wasn't the most attractive in her class, but this was an important day and she wanted to look nice. She shared her news with Lily, and was happy for her sister when a similar triumph was reported from her last year at Hogwarts. An unfortunate schedule clash meant that Lily was stuck with a vital meeting for something she only referred to as the 'Order' on the same day as Petunia's graduation ceremony, but they agreed they each had their priorities and there were no hard feelings. Petunia was still somewhat disappointed that her effort would go to waste, but was met with a pleasant surprise. As she proudly marched across the stage, a camera flashed from the audience. The lights didn't allow her to try and see who it was. The mystery was solved as soon as the ceremony ended,. Vernon marched over to her, his beaming sister and camera-bearing mother trailing behind. She was about to thank them simply for being there, how much it meant that anyone she knew outside her classmates were there. Then he dropped to one knee, somewhat awkwardly. He held out a small box, and she forgot to breathe.

"Petunia, will you marry me?"

Petunia froze. She was fond of him, there was no question of that, but enough to marry him? Well. He was kind enough to her, and ambitious, and was going to be graduating himself in another year. And perfectly, utterly normal. She'd have family again, family she didn't need to worry about surviving long enough to be able to consider any sort of long-term plans. There were worse options. She beamed and nodded, giving wordless consent. He embraced her, and she felt tears streaming down her cheeks without precisely knowing why. She chalked up the disoriented feeling to Mrs. Dursley's camera flash, which had been going off like a strobe throughout the proposal. They eventually broke apart, and Petunia returned to the crowd of her classmates. There was a lot to do, and further plans could wait until they were somewhere quiet – the din of the celebrating grads didn't make for a conversation-friendly atmosphere.

The following weeks kept her quite busy. Only minor plans were needed for the wedding at this point – they all agreed that it was best for the ceremony to wait until after Vernon had graduated. But she was out in the world now, and there was much to do. The Evans homestead hadn't been touched since the sisters departed after the funeral, and the taxes and upkeep expenses were building. The graduation present Lily sent gave Petunia a chance to start discussion on how to handle things. She wasn't about to repeat her attempt to snag an owl on her own; Petunia's best guess was that only Lily's owl could reliably find her and deliver messages. Owl post wasn't the best medium to work this sort of thing out, and Lily pulled every string she could go to Petunia. The sisters stood silently before the house that had once been so welcoming, grasped hands and exchanged a comforting squeeze, and finally entered.

Personal effects were boxed up with little organization beyond who each belonged to, the odd piece of furniture was moved to the door, but most of it was left intact. Petunia had done much of the legwork beforehand; a storage rental compartment was prepared for them, and a neighbour boy with a truck agreed to help move everything for ten pounds. Careful checking of sales records led her to a real estate agent who charged a reasonable rate and guaranteed a good price for the house. It only took a few hours to store away the remains of their childhood, boxes stacked neatly behind the few pieces of furniture they felt any residual attachment to. Their hands rested together on the compartment's handle after Petunia locked it. Not a word had been spoken between them since Lily's arrival.

"Well. That's it, I suppose. We still have all our things if we ever want them back, and a few pieces of furniture each for when we're ready to start our homes . . ."

"Indeed. Not as if we've missed any of our things over the past year, but. It's good to have around, to remember. Congratulations about Vernon, by the way. I hope you're happy together."

"Thank you. And let's hope that Potter boy makes an honest woman out of you." Petunia managed a smile as she said this, and gave her sister a good-natured elbow poke. The tension broken, Lily couldn't help but start to giggle, and soon the sisters were laughing together, leaning against each other to brace against mutual collapse. It hadn't been an easy year.

This time, they parted ways on more amicable terms. Petunia stayed behind to finalize all the paperwork and oversee the sale of the house. Once the sale cleared and all remaining taxes were paid, she went to the family lawyer and reviewed the terms of the will. She gave a silent sigh of relief for sticking through that term of Pre-Law, even though she knew she wasn't cut out for the career. They could hardly have expected that their deaths would occur as they did, and the majority of the terms stated that the other would inherit in the event of their death. Fortunate for them all, her mother had tacked on a bit that, should both parents die, their estate was to be divided evenly between her daughters. There were a few donations to various charities to be made, of course. The Evans had always been quite community-minded, and strove to instil the same ethic in their daughters. Perhaps, Petunia thought, that might explain Lily's determination to aid in the coming war. But she was still Petunia's sister.

* * *

They pulled back into the driveway in silence. It had felt unnatural, even though they hadn't exchanged a word on the drive in. There was something about three teenagers, friends at that, sitting in a confined space for so long without chatting away as normal children might. Hah! Even Lily hadn't stayed that quiet when her friends were about. Petunia gave a glance to her garden as she hurried to unlock the front door. Vernon was still sitting behind the wheel, face beet red and his knuckles white. Dudley raced to help with the trunks. The boy was being sensible, at least – considering his prior experiences with magic, finding himself with a pig's tail or swollen tongue for the slightest of offenses, he had no way of knowing what might happen to him when the trio would be there for the coming weeks.

* * *

Author's Notes: It's quite the process writing fic about Petunia. You read the books and, with the average reader reaction, simply follow JKR's introduction of, "These are the Dursleys. They're silly muggles who hate magic. They're bad people. Now let's ignore them and head on to the magical world!". But when you write fic, you need to think of them as people. They live their lives, they don't simply sit quietly at home and wait for Harry to return so they can simply be more of the same when we see them at the start and end of each book. Petunia's compulsive cleaning, keeping number four at an unnatural level of sterility, on top of a few other odd actions she's taken indicate a mild form of OCD, and not just a random character quirk. They've grown, they've had experiences, they have their own reasons for acting as they do. And certainly, they're human and more than capable of poor decisions and bad judgement, but so are the characters we're told to love. 

It's odd how JKR portrays them at some points, as some muggle Cerberus – a three-headed beast incapable of independent action or reaction. They laugh at Harry's predicament, they cringe back from a demonstration of magic, and they're generally cruel to Harry. But sometimes we do manage a view of the individual. Vernon has ambition and a white collar job that doesn't require high intellectual capacity. He's a bigot, and the comment he made about foreign food being bad indicates he's at least a balanced bigot. Dudley has been raised with his every whim catered to, and while Harry needs to worry about living past his school years, Dudley needs to be concerned with surviving past his school years. He was entirely baffled when Dumbledore pointed out his mistreatment by Vernon and Petunia, but he won't last ten minutes on his own like this.

And Petunia – Petunia grew up with Lily. As anyone who's had a sister knows, you won't always get along. You'll have arguments and compete for your parents' attention, but in the end you're family. You'll love each other, but you certainly won't always like each other. We hear Petunia's rants and see resentment and anger, but also loss. The magical world in general, and James Potter to be specific, stole her sister away. Harry's resemblance to James likely didn't help his situation any. And it's interesting to note that the only time that it's specified Petunia looks him in the eyes is the moment in OotP when they share the one moment of real connection they have in the entire series.

The letter will be making another appearance, but not for a while yet. Keep in mind, the incident occurred when Lily was just eleven. It's been over half a decade since, and memories don't tend to be all that exact over time. The anger and resentment of that day they can recall, but the precise trigger is fuzzy. It makes it hard to remember what you need to apologize for. The incident doesn't mean that Lily is a horrible person, but as the one flashback shows, she's capable of snapping angrily when she's not in the best of moods anyway. I figure that on the day we saw, she was already in a tense mood – like any student in the middle of exams. The frogspawn was more the type of thing typical of an eleven-year-old. Gross-out humor is still hilarious at that age, and most would take advantage of some leftover frogspawn they found in their pocket to ick out a sibling.

I don't expect JKR to give an excess of attention to Petunia in the final book, nor do I expect redemption at the end. But I'd be happy to see something small, any tiny indication that she isn't all bad. Flushing at Dumbledore's pointed observation of Dudley's mistreatment is a start.

It's fanfic, yes, but it can have depth if the author takes perspective. These are people, they've lived their lives, and they need to have good reason for what they do. You can't just pull them in every now and then to simply be nasty and make the magical world look even better. It's life, no matter what side of platform 9 ¾ you're standing on.


	4. New Beginings

Petunia considered the situation. Two extra guests for the next few weeks, without warning. There was enough food in the house, but she'd need to make an extra trip to the store soon. And they would need somewhere to stay . . . Ron and Harry could share his room, no issue there. They'd likely prefer it, in fact. But Hermione?

Dudley was hauling in two of the trunks with little effort. He was a strong lad, and balance was likely the only reason he hadn't managed all three at once. "Leave those by the stairs, Dudley. They'll be fine there for now."

Harry and his friends were standing by the door, giving each other odd looks. They still didn't wish to say anything around her, hm? Well. Magic or not, she'd need to set out the rules. She narrowed her eyes at them and pointed to the living room. "All right, if you're to be staying here, we need to set a few things straight. Into the living room now, you can take the couch."

Ron rolled his eyes and muttered something she couldn't make out. Hermione elbowed him. Harry spoke up. "All right, Aunt Petunia. C'mon, it's not as if she can actually try something on us."

That riled Petunia slightly; but there had been no venom, and it was true enough. So she simply pointed once more. "Couch. Now." Finally, thankfully, they listened and settled in on the couch, Harry seated in the middle. She took her own seat in the armchair opposite and watched them for a moment. The years had passed by faster than she realized. It was unsettling, in a way, to realize her nephew was grown, almost an adult. And that was the point of this, wasn't it?

"Some ground rules will be required," a pause at their expressions, and she sighed. "Nothing like that. I've no wish to face down any of your friends who've offered threats in your defense. But as long as you're under my roof, there are a few things I want to make clear. There will be no magic unless absolutely necessary. You might not be in trouble with your kind once you're seventeen, but if you have any respect for the aunt who kept you safe all these years, you won't be leaving the neighbours with enough to gossip about for the next decade."

Harry turned to each of his friends, then back to her, and nodded. "Fair enough. I trust you'll be giving us enough to eat? None of the crazy diets for Dudley that the rest of us need to put up with, or deciding there's not enough for all of us and we need to share a plate?"

A twinge of guilt, there. Had she really been horrible enough for him to expect that? "You'll be getting proper meals, of course. All of you. But unless one of your friends has a real allergy, I won't be catering to you. You'll have to be happy with the same food as the rest of us are eating."

At Harry's nod she continued, "And as you're seventeen, I want to make it clear that there will be no hanky-panky during your time here. Ron, you'll be staying in Harry's room – you can use Dudley's old sleeping bag. Hermione, the spare bedroom is yours. Vernon and I are in the next room, so don't think we won't hear any of you trying to sneak around. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry was blushing slightly, but seemed to be attempting to hold back laughter more than anything. Ron, meanwhile, had turned beet red and had gained a sudden interest in his shoes, while Hermione had buried her face in her hands; what skin was visible was glowing red.

The worst of the details sorted out, Petunia shooed them off to get unpacked and took opportunity of the brief respite to collapse on the couch. It would be a long few weeks.

After all the details had been settled, the clearance firm had dealt with the furniture, the fees of the realtor and lawyer paid, the last tiny debt cleared, and each charity had received its due, Petunia found herself boggling at the resulting numbers. After her careful budgeting while living away at home, it was a shock to the system to realize each sister now had an additional six thousand pounds ready to be deposited in their bank accounts.

To be fair, Petunia did entertain a brief fantasy of spending the next few years relaxing in moderate luxury and having a lavish wedding before settling into a comfortable life of Vernon providing for her. But she was a practical girl, and she still didn't wish for her diploma to find no more value than the paper it was on.

She had considered seeking a position in a more budget-friendly area, somewhere she could find a cheap flat with few rats. But with her bank account swelling . . . she had more than enough for first and last month's rent, and a salary in London would bring her enough to cover the rent of a moderate flat.

Purchasing a London paper at a newsstand in the train station, Petunia set to work on the short ride. By the time she arrived, she had circled the more promising options in the housing section. It was getting late, so she made her way to a hotel.

Remembering she was in a new city and would need to adjust, she first purchased a couple of maps, one of the streets and one of the Underground, and a guide. The hotel was nice but not overly classy, one she could easily indulge on but didn't wish to get used to. Spreading the maps out on the bed, she marked each location mentioned in the ads and worked out a route for the next day. The rest of the evening was spent trying to get a feel for the city by reviewing the guide and maps. With the public transit system at her disposal, a car was unnecessary. This was rather cheering, as she had never really enjoyed driving all that much and didn't wish either her residential or employment options to be limited to which were in close proximity to each other.

The next morning she was relaxed and refreshed, and set out with no small amount of eagerness to find her new abode. This faded over the next few hours, as few of the choices that seemed so nice on paper were worth a second glance. Rats running about when the landlord was showing her about in the first. A subway tunnel situated close enough that she was advised to store her breakables securely, and while they didn't object to pets it would be a bad idea for her to keep fish. One flat she didn't even stay long enough to make a decision on. When she had paused on the sidewalk to check the address, a man in a long black robe brushed past and vanished into an alley. Petunia felt a shiver run down her spine. This wasn't a place she ever wished to return to. A morbid question flashed through her mind of just why the previous tenant may have left, but she set it aside and set off to the next address. Only five remained on her list by 4:30, but Petunia didn't feel comfortable bothering a potential landlord if it were getting late enough that they might be in the middle of dinner when she came by. She'd see this last flat, then investigate the others tomorrow.

And – wonder of wonders – it was perfect. A safe neighbourhood, her own bathroom, clean rooms, and reasonable rent. The view showed only the blank brick side of the building next door, but she could live with that. She informed her new landlord immediately that she was quite interested in renting, and with some further discussion of conditions and settling on various details, the deal was finalized.

The next day, she set out on her job hunt. Resumes in hand, she was well-armed and by the day's end she had landed her first interview. Newly-minted secretaries were in high demand, and it took less than a week's legwork to find a position that suited her well.

The months sped by, as they often do when one has a full schedule, and Petunia was settled comfortably in her routine. The tiny window ledge, though there was no view beyond it, did offer more than enough space for Lily's owl to land and an exceptional degree of privacy. Letters were exchanged on about a monthly basis, and while neither sister was free to discuss all the details of their work, there was always something to say. Letters from Vernon came at more regular intervals, always sweet in a somewhat clumsy way. He wasn't the poetic sort, but Petunia felt thankful that, at the very least, he hadn't tried to woo her with limericks.

In her spare time, Petunia would work on the plans for her wedding to Vernon. It would be a tasteful event, no question there. She was rather glad he agreed that a flashy affair would be far too tacky – weren't compatibility signs like that an indicator that your relationship would be a success? A simple white dress and a quiet church wedding would suit them just fine. Neither had ever been regular churchgoers, but both specifically avoided going to the good old C of E. Compatibility again, there!

Before she knew it, there was only a month to go before the big day. She gave her two weeks' notice and said her goodbyes at the office. She had gotten along well with them, and at the farewell party a few half-joking comments(she hoped) were made that they'd find a place for her if things didn't work out with Vernon. The things from her flat were boxed up easily enough, and there will always inevitably be a brother of a friend of a coworker or something along those lines with a truck who is happy to help you move for a few pounds and money for petrol.

An owl from Lily confirmed that she fully intended to be there as maid of honor. Despite the differences they had had, Petunia couldn't imagine anyone else standing with her on her big day. Vernon and his mother greeted her at the train station; Vernon with a kiss, Mrs. Dursley noting her blush with approval. Petunia was certainly accustomed to Vernon's kisses, but public displays of affection were still somewhat alien to her.

Petunia double-checked her reservations and arrangement with the florists and caterer before heading to the dress shop for her final fitting; more than ever, she was glad she had planned ahead. At the dress shop was a wonderful surprise – Lily was waiting for her. There was much glee and hugging between the sisters.

Beaming, Petunia said, "You're here already! Oh, Lily, it's so wonderful to see you again. Considering how busy you mentioned you've been, I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it."

"And miss my own sister's wedding? Petunia, I called in nearly every favour I had to ensure I had this week off. My work might keep me busy, but I'm here for you." Lily gave her sister a reassuring smile.

Petunia gave Lily another hug, but they were interrupted by the on-duty seamstress. "If one of you is Petunia Evans, you'll need to hurry up. I can't wait here all day, you know."

Ducking her head in embarassment, Petunia flashed a smile at Lily before heading to the fitting room. "We'll be able to talk later – just wait until you see my dress!"

Waking from her memories, Petunia realized it was time to start dinner. She considered for a moment asking her new houseguests to help a bit in the kitchen, but then had a better idea. Heading up the stairs to her son's room, she knocked before entering.

"Dudley? Would you like me to show you how to make a simple dinner? You'll be heading off for university soon, and I know I can't look out for you forever. . ." She looked at her son, truly concerned for him for the first time in what felt like ages.

Dudley paused his computer game, considered it a moment, then nodded. "Sure, Mum. I've put it off long enough."

Petunia paused to look at Harry's door, where the trio had been talking quietly since they arrived. They probably wouldn't want to be disturbed until dinner.

"Well, Dudley, we'd better get started. We don't want to keep your father waiting."

Exchanging a small smile, mother and son made their way down the stairs.


End file.
